The Scottish War Graves Project

Scott · Joined: 29 May 2013 Posts: 1935 Location: Fife

Greetings to all,
We've a wee query regarding SC William Oscar Thompson, who drowned at HM Naval Base Rosyth in 1940. Constable Thompson has a CWGC Headstone in the Douglas Bank Dunfermline Cemetery but does not appear on the CWGC website (We've raised an' In From The Cold' request).

Constable Thompson's death certificate says he was last seen alive at 22:20 on the 22nd of August found dead at HM Dockyard Rosyth on the 5th of September. His death was recorded by the procurator Fiscal

We've searched the local newspaper library with no luck.

Google and the British Newspaper Archive drew a blank.

Is there anywhere else we may search for more information?

Many Thanks for your time,

Scott

kenmorrison · Joined: 05 Oct 2008 Posts: 747

Scott - Do you have a photo of this gravestone? I doubt that it is a CWGC marker. I wonder if he was a Special Constable in the civil police?
If so, and since he did not die as the result of enemy action, I don't think he would qualify for inclusion on the CWGC Register.

Scott · Joined: 29 May 2013 Posts: 1935 Location: Fife

Apologies, image is not as clear as I would like (it's on the redo list)

Hope this helps.

Thanks again for your time Ken.

Scott

kenmorrison · Joined: 05 Oct 2008 Posts: 747

Scott - thanks for the photo. I have e-mailed you directly but I think that this confirms that it is a Ministry of Defence stone.
As far as I can work out the Royal Marine Police were considered a "civilian" force, although it was staffed by former Royals (and later by ex-navy). NCO's were graded as Special Constables.

kinnethmont · Joined: 25 Mar 2008 Posts: 121 Location: aberdeenshire

Ken is quite correct.

This is not a war grave and this explains why he is not recorded by CWGC. He was a Civilian and the headstone is a clipped corner CWGC headstone, known as 'Non-World War' Pattern. It is of the type provided by CWGC rather than by the MoD. CWGC cares for 76 NWW graves in Douglas Bank.